Judging by the very large crowd at Pakenham store cattle sale today, spring has already reached the Gippsland region.
The largest crowd seen for a few months was filled with many on-lookers, but also a good number of keen buyers.
The yarding was typical of a winter offering at Pakenham, being very mixed in breeding and quality.
A lot of the cattle were in store condition, but with the grass now growing all cattle sold well.
P Santucci, Drouin South, sold 19 Angus steers, two years, 504-552 kilograms liveweight, from $1025-$1115, all over 200 cents per kilogram liveweight.
Most of the older steers of better quality sold between $750-$920.
P Hare, Glengarry sold 23 Angus steers from $750-$905, to average $880.
A good number of the steers offered weighed between 300-420kg lwt.
Demand was strongest for steers at the heavier end of this scale with buyers looking for quick results from the expected flush of spring growth.
Pullut Investments, Nilma North, sold a large line 58 Angus steers, which epitomised the range in price of young steers, selling from $645-$848, av $721.
Lojosa Springs, Glenburn, sold 34 younger Angus steers from $586-$690, av $634.
Liveweight prices for younger steers were estimated to range from 210-280c/kg.
K&A Wooley, Poowong, offered 20 Angus & Angus-Hereford steers selling from $688-$690.
Toward the end of the sale, H Velger, Phillip Island, sold 21 Angus steer weaners from $755-$860, av $825.
Young calves sold well, but didn’t show the same price increases as their older cousins.
NG Ashlin, Longford, sold 31 Angus-Hereford steers, by Leawood Angus bulls, from $540-$615, av $586.
J McMahon, King Lake, sold 20 very young steers from $470-$550, av $510.
Friesian steers and bullocks have been selling to strong competition at physical sales, and this was reflected in strong demand for larger frame steers at this sale.
E&L Nominees, The Gurdies, sold 24 Friesian steers from $590-$670, which was estimated to equal 160c/kg lwt.
- Full story in the Stock & Land September 4 edition